Written Answers Wednesday 15 April 2009

Scottish Executive

Communities

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether legislation will be necessary to introduce community ownership of assets as proposed in Community: Scottish Community Empowerment Action Plan - Celebrating Success: Inspiring Change.

Alex Neil: No new legislation will be required to deliver the activity set out in the Scottish Community Empowerment Action Plan to support communities to own assets. The Plan recognises that communities owning their own land and buildings can have a huge impact on their empowerment, but that asset ownership won’t be the answer for all communities and that it is complex issue. It commits to putting in place a range of practical support which will help communities to overcome barriers to asset ownership and these are currently under development.

Council Tax

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider extending the six-month council tax exemption for empty properties that are for sale and have a valid home report.

John Swinney: The Government currently has no plans to extend the six-month council tax exemption for empty properties. We are committed to the abolition of council tax and its replacement with a fairer local tax based on ability to pay. In the meantime we have announced our intention to fund a freeze on council tax for each of the years up to 2011-12.

Energy

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the terms of reference will be for the independent assessment of the energy options open to Scotland, as recommended in the First Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisers: December 2008.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive who will be commissioned to carry out the independent assessment of the energy options open to Scotland, as recommended in the First Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisers: December 2008.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its independent assessment of the energy options open to Scotland, as recommended in the First Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisers: December 2008.

John Swinney: The Council of Economic Advisers is currently considering how to take this study forward.

Homelessness

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will revise the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2004 to prohibit the use of bed and breakfast accomodation for care leavers.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is discussing amendment of the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2004 with COSLA. The Order currently applies to homeless households containing pregnant women and/or children and sets standards for temporary accommodation provided. Extension of the order to cover young people who have left care is being considered.

  It should be noted that the Support and Assistance of Young People Leaving Care (Scotland) Regulations 2003 and associated guidance are clear that a local authority providing accommodation for care leavers must ensure that this accommodation is suitable. The guidance is also clear that use of the homelessness legislation should not be the main route for accessing accommodation for this group.

Homelessness

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a system of classiciation for homeless hostels indicating their suitability for care leavers and the levels of support provided.

Alex Neil: The Support and Assistance of Young People Leaving Care (Scotland) Regulations 2003 and associated guidance are clear that a local authority providing accommodation for care leavers must ensure that this accommodation is suitable. The guidance is also clear that use of the homelessness legislation should not be the main route for accessing accommodation for this group. We held a seminar, in partnership with the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum, for local authorities to consider accommodation issues for care leavers on 1 April 2009.

  The Scottish Government is intending to review the regulations over the course of this year. This will tell us the impact of the regulations and guidance and identify areas for action. The Scottish Government is also reviewing temporary accommodation provided for homeless people more generally. However it is not clear at this stage that reclassifying accommodation, or specifying its suitability or otherwise for care leavers, would be feasible or lead to better outcomes for young people.

Homelessness

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the publication by the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland of Sweet 16? One Year On – Is Life Any Sweeter?, what steps it is taking to prohibit the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for care leavers.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is discussing amendment of the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2004 with COSLA. The Order currently applies to homeless households containing pregnant women and/or children and sets standards for temporary accommodation provided. Extension of the order to cover young people who have left care is being considered.

  It should be noted that the Support and Assistance of Young People Leaving Care (Scotland) Regulations 2003 and associated guidance are clear that a local authority providing accommodation for care leavers must ensure that this accommodation is suitable. The guidance is also clear that use of the homelessness legislation should not be the main route for accessing accommodation for this group.

Homelessness

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the publication by the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland of Sweet 16? One Year On – Is Life Any Sweeter?, what action it is taking to introduce a system of classification for hostels for homeless people that indicates their suitability for care leavers.

Alex Neil: The Support and Assistance of Young People Leaving Care (Scotland) Regulations 2003 and associated guidance are clear that a local authority providing accommodation for care leavers must ensure that this accommodation is suitable. The guidance is also clear that use of the homelessness legislation should not be the main route for accessing accommodation for this group. We held a seminar, in partnership with the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum, for local authorities to consider accommodation issues for care leavers on 1 April 2009.

  The Scottish Government is intending to review the Regulations over the course of this year. This will tell us the impact of the Regulations and guidance and identify areas for action. The Scottish Government is also reviewing temporary accommodation provided for homeless people more generally. However it is not clear at this stage that reclassifying accommodation, or specifying its suitability or otherwise for care leavers, would be feasible or lead to better outcomes for young people.

Housing

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it regards as the maximum desirable occupation standards for rented accommodation.

Alex Neil: The statutory definition of overcrowding is contained in Part VII of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987. Local authorities have various powers and duties in relation to overcrowded houses and their occupants, including carrying out inspections to identify overcrowded houses and taking levels of overcrowding into account in the preparation of local housing strategies.

  The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 was introduced to protect tenants whose principal or only residence is a multiply-occupied house. Local authorities are responsible for identifying unlicensed HMOs and ensuring that conditions of licences are complied with, including the number of occupants allowed.

  The Scottish Government is aware of concerns that some landlords may be evading HMO licensing requirements by claiming that properties are being let on a short term basis, and that tenants have principal residences elsewhere. In doing so, some landlords may be putting tenants at risk of overcrowding.

  We will be considering the options for implementing new HMO provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 later this year. The issue of short term lets, and what types of accommodation require to be licensed under those provisions, will be part of our discussions with stakeholders.

Licensing

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21839 by Kenny MacAskill on 23 March 2009, in what parts of Scotland police have not notified the local licensing boards of reports that they have made to procurators fiscal about offences concerning the sale of alcohol to people under 18.

Kenny MacAskill: The detailed information requested is being sought from police forces and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available. A copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre ( Bib number 47921).

Local Authorities

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees earn less than £7 per hour in (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Orkney, (d) Shetland, (e) Argyll and Bute and (f) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority areas.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. Local government pay and conditions are a matter for local authorities as independent corporate bodies.

Local Authorities

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees work more than 35 hours per week as part of their normal, not including overtime, core contract in (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Orkney, (d) Shetland, (e) Argyll and Bute, and (f) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority areas.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22408, on 15 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Local Authorities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authority employees earn less than £7 per hour, broken down by local authority.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22408, on 15 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

NHS Hospitals

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many admissions to accident and emergency departments there were in the last year where a glass bottle was used as a weapon, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Unintentional injury is a common cause of emergency hospital admissions and accounts for 1 in 9 of all admissions for adults aged 15 and over. However, there is no recognised diagnosis code for assault where a glass bottle was used as a weapon, and ISD (Information Services Division Scotland) does not collect data on the reason for attendance at an Accident and Emergency clinic.

  The closest external cause diagnosis code is for ‘assault by sharp object’, data on which is held centrally by Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland at the following link:http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5337.html.

NHS Hospitals

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to NHS boards on avoiding abuse of hospital car parks since the removal of parking charges.

Nicola Sturgeon: Those five NHS Boards which charged for car parking at NHSScotland operated car parks have implemented a range of measures to prevent abuse. My officials are working with NHS Boards and Health Facilities Scotland to prepare guidance on car park management using the experience gained since car park charges were abolished. This will be published in due course.

NHS Hospitals

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been put in place to prevent abuse of NHS hospital car parks since the removal of parking charges.

Nicola Sturgeon: Measures include zoning of car parks for the different groups of users (patients, visitors and staff), use of time restrictions in patient and visitor car parks during peak hours and use of civil penalty notices to deter misuse of car parks.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) sickness days were taken and (b) working days were lost on average per police officer due to assault in 2007-08, broken down by police board, and what the cost was to each board.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally. General sickness absence information is recorded by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland and is available at www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/925/0076738.pdf .

Prison Service

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is taken against prisoners who test positive for drug use.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Prisoners who test positive on admission are assessed with a view to determining their health care and support needs. A range of responses exist for those prisoners who test positive during their sentence. These range from being punished through the removal of privileges, to the provision of assessment, support and health care interventions.

Young Offenders

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the finding in Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), published in January 2009, that the proportion of offenders blaming their current offence on alcohol had risen from 29.5% in 1979 to 56.8% in 2007, whether it intends to increase the provision of alcohol misuse support in prisons or make any other changes to this programme.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  SPS has been providing treatment, support and behavioural change programmes for alcohol and other substance misuse problems for a number of years. In light of recent evidence, including the research cited, the Scottish Prison Service will adjust its investment in alcohol programmes and service provision improvements.

Young Offenders

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the publication in January 2009 of Alcohol and Violence among Young Male Offenders in Scotland (1979-2009), whether it has commissioned any further research into issues uncovered in the report.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service, in partnership with the Scottish Government and Health Scotland, is planning to commission research to guide effective alcohol interventions for the prisoner population, as well as including additional problem alcohol use questions in the Annual Prisoner Survey in 2009.